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Thursday, February 15, 2018

CD Review/Gig Preview: Alan Benzie Trio - Little Mysteries

Alan Benzie (piano); Andrew Robb (bass); Marton Juhasz (drums).

(Review by Lance).

Next Thursday (February 22) The Globe is the place to be. The Jazz Coop have pulled off another major coup - The Alan Benzie Trio. Benzie, the first winner of the BBC Young Scottish Jazz Musician of the Year competition back in 2007, subsequently attended Berklee where he became the first British musician to win the Billboard Award following in the footsteps of Uehara Hiromi, Jaleel Shaw and Walter Smith III.

His first trio album, Traveller's Tales was enthusiastically acclaimed, not least by this reviewer, and a follow-up was eagerly anticipated. That we've had to wait almost 3 years has but served to whet the appetite.

Well worth the wait.

Little Mysteries continues in a similar vein to the previous album with more musical portraits drawn from his travels. This is the perfectly integrated trio. Three individuals united by a common goal. Benzie's compositions are beautiful and sensitive. He gives no explanation as to their meanings in the notes but says he will explain to those who are interested at the gig.

His piano explorations don't need words, just receptive ears of which I'm sure there have been plenty during his 16 concert European tour which culminates at the Globe (tonight the trio are at the B-Flat Jazz Club in Berlin).

On bass, Andrew Robb, himself a BBC Young Scottish Jazz Musician of the Year winner in 2009, plays some intriguing lines both solo and as an integral part of the trio. Drummer, Marton Juhasz, has an impressive CV of Hungarian percussion awards and, on this showing, deservedly so.

Benzie, Robb and Juhasz live in different countries which makes the empathy between the three of them all the more amazing.

Lance.

Little Mysteries by the Alan Benzie Trio is available digitally from CD Baby, Amazon and iTunes.

Submissions for review

Whilst we appreciate the many emails, texts, messages and other communications we receive requesting album/gig reviews on BSH, regrettably, we are unable to reply to them all other than those we are able to answer with a positive response.

Similarly, CDs received by post will only be considered if accompanied by sufficient background material.

Finally, bear in mind that this is a jazz-based site when submitting your album.

Lance

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Bebop Spoken Here -- Here, being the north-east of England -- centred in the blues heartland of Newcastle and reaching down to the Tees Delta and looking upwards to the Land of the Kilt.Not a very original title, I know; not even an accurate one as my taste, whilst centred around the music of Bird and Diz, extends in many directions and I listen to everything from King Oliver to Chick Corea and beyond. Not forgetting the Great American Songbook the contents of which has provided the inspiration for much great jazz and quality popular singing for round about a century.The idea of this blog is for you to share your thoughts and pass on your comments on discs, gigs, jazz - music in general. If you've been to a gig/concert or heard a CD that knocked you sideways please share your views with us. Tell us about your favourites, your memories, your dislikes.Lance (Who wishes it to be known that he is not responsible for postings other than his own and that he's not always responsible for them.)